


Silk Bridges

by Avatarkayla, Raithwin



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Battle of the Virgins, Developing Relationship, Excessive Sexual Frustration, Flashbacks, M/M, Nightmares, Other, Prequel to Our Tangled Web, emotionally repressed idiots, struggling relationship, supressed memories
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:13:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26020192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avatarkayla/pseuds/Avatarkayla, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raithwin/pseuds/Raithwin
Summary: Before the web can tangle it must be built. But building something can be harder than it seems. Error thought he knew where his life and relationship with Nightmare was going. All up until he realized he didn't.
Relationships: Dream/Ink, Error/Nightmare, Ink/Error
Comments: 27
Kudos: 138
Collections: Our Tangled Universe





	1. Tease

**Author's Note:**

> The first chapter of the prequel for 'Our Tangled Web'.

Error noticed Nightmare the moment he stepped through his portal into the castle’s expansive library. He paused for the barest moment before continuing, walking right past the quietly reading prince and let the portal to his AntiVoid close behind him. Error took his time to peruse the line of the bookshelves before raising a curious hand to help skim an interesting row of books. Error only stopped when he felt Nightmare’s form solidify just behind him. Closing his sockets, the glitching skeleton let out a tired breath. Both to convey his weariness as well as calm his slowly elevating pixelations. He wasn’t afraid of Nightmare, but the close proximity sent a shiver down the Destroyer’s spine that he knew Nightmare could feel. Time and time again Nightmare pushed the limits of how much closeness Error would allow just to get a ‘whiff’ of the different negative emotions he could tease from the glitch. If Nightmare pushed too much the goopy prince knew Error would not hold back in tearing down his precious castle stone by stone. It really would be a waste of a good library though, so Nightmare never pushed too far and Error allowed the slight invasion into his space. Besides, he didn’t actually come here for books.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?”

Nightmare’s voice was low as he caged Error in with his tentacles. The strange liquefied limbs provided something like a barrier, their surface ever churning yet still remained solid enough to not drip any of Nightmare’s negativity onto the delicate covers of his collection. 

“You should at least greet me if you’re going to so boldly march into my space.”

Night’s voice was soft this time, barely a whisper, but the pure urge of defiance sent a thrill of excitement down Error’s spine. Humming softly as he turned to face this curious skeleton Error let his eye lights travel down the length of Nightmare’s body then back up again as if assessing his dark counterparts worth. Again. Nightmare was the only being who had the confidence to speak to him in such a way. Cute. So what if he had walked right past the prince without so much as a nod of acknowledgment?

“Still deciding if you’re worth it,” Error replied with a smirk, watching with satisfaction as Nightmare’s frown deepened.

“Worth it to simply say hello? How rude,” Nightmare drawled.

Error’s smirk widened, “If you wanted adoration why don’t you go find one of your new pets?”

Nightmare was beginning to build a collection of the multiverse’s so called ‘Bad Sanses.’ Calling the filthy abominations his army of negativity. So stupid. It wasn’t like Nightmare actually needed them, but at least he got to help dust the first round of practice henchmen when Nightmare was done playing with them. Nightmare was plenty strong in Error’s opinion, but Nightmare was a planner. A long term strategist. Something Error had found very useful in the other and was the only reason he was keeping the dark skeleton around. Well... one of the reasons anyway.

“You didn’t come here for some light reading, Shibari,” Nightmare said, finally cutting to the point, “What are you here for?”

‘ _You,_ ’ Error thought passively as he rolled his eye lights.

He had found some information on Nightmare’s annoying brother. The sunshine skeleton and Ink had teamed up with _his_ Blue of all skeletons and now were forming a group called the Star Sanses. Both skeletons were already positive thorns in his side. Now he had to fight them and try not to hurt his ‘friend’ at the same time. How annoying. Error often wondered why Nightmare had even let Dream to slip through his clutches. Everything Night did was planned down to the smallest detail, yet the monumental detail of a very specific date seemed odd for the prince to overlook. But if Nightmare had wanted to give himself an excuse for having not killed his brother Error was going to remain silent. For the time being at least. Nightmare was clearly the smarter of the two brothers anyways. More handsome too if tentacles were your thing. Hard to kill as well. Bonus.

“I’ll come and go as I please Nightmare.”

Pressing forward Error smirked in satisfaction as Nightmare mirrored the movement thus giving Error the space to move freely. The tentacles still remained airborne as barriers to the Destroyer’s sides so Error continued forward another step. Only a few more steps until the backs of Nightmare’s legs would strike the stone wall next to the library’s window seat. Nightmare’s favorite reading place. Nightmare’s expression remained confidant, almost curious at the Destroyer’s closeness.

“Don’t fuss when you don’t actually mind Night, the attention seeking isn’t attractive,” Error said in a cool tone.

Nightmare’s anger boiled for a moment, showing as the goopy skeleton’s liquid surface bubbled. A faint hint of cyan tinted the prince’s cheeks, but the vulnerability lasted only a second before Nightmare took a breath and stepped closer to Error.

“Then what do you keep coming back for Error?” Nightmare asked.

Taken aback by Nightmare’s sudden boldness Error froze. Glitches broke over his body as Error’s eye lights flickered. With in seconds, one of Nightmare’s tentacles wrapped around Error’s waist and the room spun leaving Error pinned to the stone cold wall. Pinned with Nightmare poised to attack. The contact burned, but a little less than the last time. Blinking through the glitches filling his sockets Error breathed heavily up against the cold stone of the library wall. He hadn’t crashed, almost did but he could work through this level of pain.

Shifting stiffly through the discomfort Error cast out his strings to bind Nightmare’s limbs and chuckled a half crazed laugh. Nightmare’s tentacle hadn’t stopped him from turning around, but it wasn’t letting him escape either.

“What’s wrong Night? Upset when you’re not holding all the strings?”

“Please,” Nightmare scoffed.

Error watched in frustration as Nightmare rolled his singular eye light. Rude. That was a good pun. At least he could have pretended to laugh. Within seconds Nightmare’s form distorted causing Error’s strings to pass right through the goopy prince’s body and drop uselessly to the stone floor. With his next breath Nightmare’s body was even closer and another tentacle was on him, pressed between the Destroyer’s legs.

“S-shit!”

Arching against the grind, Error could already feel his magic warming the bones of his pelvis with something other than pain. Ohhh, that felt better than it should.

“Do you always get this turned on when someone gets the upper hand on you?” Nightmare asked, smug amusement dripping from the words.

Error gasped loudly as a wet sex dropped into place. That was new! Red and yellow claws scrambled frantically between holding onto and not touching Nightmare’s shoulders.

“FUcK YoU!” Error snapped raggedly.

Closing his sockets Error pushed his shoulders against the cold stone wall behind him to try to break free but also press his clothed sex down harder against the undulating tentacle that Nightmare was so teasingly dragging along the folds of his clothed pelvis.

“Ah! You, You sOn of-f a Bi-t-tch!”

They hadn’t gone this far yet! Nightmare’s touch was getting increasingly easier to withstand over time and with practice, but it still burned. Even with the contact searing against his bones Error couldn’t help but gasp at the unfamiliar sensation began to coil within his pelvis. The hot knife of Nightmare’s touch felt even slicker against his summoned pussy.

“D-don’t. F-fuck, NiGhT!”

What was happening?! Error couldn’t see through the glitches in his sockets as an unavoidable crash began to roll over the Destroyer.

“Shut up and cum already,” Nightmare hissed.

Error could hear the stone cracking as Nightmare dug claws into wall beside Error’s head. Not touching, but still pinning the Destroyer. Before Error was able to reach his peek, a loud dial tone ripped from Error’s throat as his body froze and flicked.

—————-

“Damnit, Shibari Fetish!”

Error had been almost there! Nightmare could feel the Destroyer’s shocked pleasure rising but just before peeking Error had crashed. Again. Why couldn’t Error just let let go of his control issues and let them both get some physical enjoyment out of this? The raw desire was there but Error’s fear of contact, though admittedly quite delicious, was getting in the way of fulfilling both of their strange and puzzling desires.

Leaning in close Nightmare took advantage of Error’s frozen state to run his claws over Error’s cheeks. It was interesting the way Error seemed to almost vibrate against his claws. They were getting closer. He had almost made his Destroyer cum with a simple touch. Apparently, Error did get off in some fashion on the idea of another taking control. Perfect. Perhaps there was a future in which Error could be _his_.

Pulling away, Nightmare waited until the crash faded and Error started to blink down at him in confusion. Would Error remember how close they got? Or would they be forced back to square one yet again? That had happened far too many times. Even after all this patience, after waiting for Error to get used to the idea, they still could barely kiss! Nightmare sighed. Enough was enough. Either they moved forward or that was it.

“You know what Error, fuck this. I’m done.”

Prying his claws from the wall, Nightmare withdrew all contact from the now coherent Destroyer and took a few controlled steps back.

 _‘Follow me. Come on, Destroyer. I know you want it,’_ he thought.

Nightmare could taste Error’s desire. He was still excited, still on edge. Good, that made two of them. This wasn’t even close to done if he had any say.

Watching Error sink down the wall a few inches Nightmare took immense satisfaction in how the Destroyer pressed his hands to the wall in order to stop his decent. Which put Error’s glare level with his. If things could actually continue, he’d make sure Error couldn’t even manage that.

“WhAt the FuCK!?” Error snarled.

Nightmare’s smile grew as he tasted Error’s frustration growing. So he did remember and for once hadn’t wanted to stop. Good~

“I don’t do anything for nothing, D e s t r o y e r,” Nightmare sneered, dragging out Error’s given title with a poorly concealed lustful growl, “Enough of this don’t touch me bullshit. We both want to get off so even if it’s through our clothing, which sound disgusting by the way, I will have to touch you and you me if either of us plans to get off this century.”

Nightmare wondered if Error knew how cute he looked when he pouted like that. Flushed and glaring to the side with a clenched jaw. Stubbornness abounded but Error’s stubbornness just gave Nightmare the urge to push a little harder. To push until that stubborn streak broke and Error showed his desires in full.

——————

Damnit... Error couldn’t help but blush as he kept his flushed skull turned away to growl. Why did Nightmare have to always point out the obvious? He was _trying_! He had let Nightmare’s tentacle wriggle it’s way between his legs, hadn’t he? He had just been touching Nightmare’s shoulders too. It’s not like they hadn’t already shared multiple heated kisses around the castle throughout the years. Nightmare was a good kisser too. Better than his first kiss stolen by Lust Sans anyways. So why? Why was going any farther with Nightmare so fucking hard for his body to handle?

“F-fine,” Error growled. Not that he knew how they were doing this, “What’s the plan Nightmare?”

Nightmare’s grin curled upward, thin and knowing as the dark prince encroached once more on the glitching skeleton’s space. Error swallowed.

“Open your mouth.”

Leaning back against the wall Error let his teeth part as Nightmare leaned in for a heated kiss. Unable to look away at first Error watched the prince’s singular socket squeeze shut in concentration. Then there was a press of heat as tongues invading the Destroyer’s mouth, swirling with his own and making Error stifle groan. He was never sure how many tongues Nightmare had. It felt different every time but the way they danced and curled around his own was always thrilling.

Feeling his bones shiver in response to the tender teasing of Night’s many tongues dancing along the inside of his mouth Error let his own sockets slide close. A noise slipped free that Error swore wasn’t a keen but... Fuck, damn this bastard for being a good kisser!

“Mmmm!”

Pressing his hands once more to Nightmare’s shoulders Error focused less on the burning in his hands and more of the strange tingles sparking in his pelvis. Night wanted to get off? Fine. Tightening his grip on the prince’s hoodie Error pulled his partner in close with a nip and spun their positions. Two could play at this tongue game and Nightmare was outnumbered three to five this round. Error was just tracing his longest tongue along the upper ridges of Nightmare’s mouth when the world spun again, darkening a moment as Night dragged the pair through a portal and dropped them onto his oversized and overly decorated mattresses.

“You piece of shit,” Error growled when a familiar weight and heat ground against the front of his pelvis.

“I told you you’d have to touch me,” Nightmare countered.

Nightmare’s voice was harsh between panted breaths but Error could barely focus on what was being said while he struggled not to fall into another crash. The contact was cutting lines of pain into the Destroyer’s bones causing Error’s vision to splinter and gray with pain.

“Your n0t fUCkiNg me!” Error snapped back while beginning to push against Nightmare’s weight.

Error could feel a crash coming on as glitches slowly began invading his sockets, but when the world spun once more Error found himself kneeling between Nightmare’s spread legs. All contact with Nightmare was gone. Glitches seemingly frozen Error blinked down at his- the other skeleton in shock.

“Touch. Me.”

Nightmares words were firm. Clearly confidant as if giving an order to one of his stupid minions. Yet... Nightmare’s stare was almost patient. A silent challenge urging Error to continue or prove Nightmare right.

“You really are a piece of shit,” Error growled back.

He pressed a cautious hand to Nightmare’s pelvis, right above the arch of the right iliac wing. Bone was solid beneath Night’s shorts despite how Error’s attacks and strings constantly went right through the goopy bastard.

“Error.”

Refusing to look away despite Nightmare’s stare Error watched as Nightmare hooked his thumbs into the waist band of his shorts. Error’s hand retreated at the action but the Destroyer refused to move as his eye lights flickered between Nightmare’s stare and the slowly emerging pelvis.

“Think you can muster a hand job?” Nightmare cooed mockingly.

Error watched in stunned fascination as Nightmare shifted and raised his pelvis just enough to drag the shorts down and reveal an almost melted looking pelvis. Skull warm with heat Error glanced to the side only to be turned back by the guiding touch from one of Nightmare’s tentacles. Void, Nightmare was just laying their beneath him, cyan cock standing to attention. They had only... Lust had said it was okay to take things slow. Maybe more than a hundred years of heavy make outs and almost touches was enough of a wait for Night.

“Think you can shut up,” Error grumbled, hand hovering just over Nightmare’s cock. 

Error glanced nervously between Nightmare’s stormy expression and the other’s cock. He could do this.

——————————-

“Maybe if you give me a reason to shut up,” Nightmare purred back with a smirk as he tossed his shorts to the side.

He could feel the blended swirl of emotions cascading off the Destroyer. Lust and desire for him, but also a thick coating of pain and fear. Error was a buffet of negative emotions all bundled into a tightly strung ball of self hatred. Night could taste Error’s prideful refusal to back away this time which served Nightmare perfectly. Maybe it was because his soul was permanently bound to this mortal body, or maybe it was just his own simple attraction to power, but Nightmare had come to the slow realization that he had a craving for pleasure. Another sin to add to his list of murder and carnage. But either way, Error was power. Power had a delicate right hand.

“There you go,” Nightmare murmured.

Watching Error licking his hand had been a sight Nightmare swore he would always remember. Feeling cautious fingers curve along his length into a loose grip Nightmare let his socket fall to something half lidded and hummed with praise.

“Squeeze just a little tighter. Hnn, that’s it.”

It was good Error had remembered to wet his palm. Nightmare was grateful for the effort, otherwise the slow pumping of Error’s fist most likely would have been anything but pleasurable. Feeling Error’s thumb slide over the slit Nightmare gasped and thrust into the glitching skeleton’s firm grip. For a moment there was a flash of fear that overwhelmed all of the other emotions filling the room, but the emotion faded into something curious. Raising his sight from Error’s hand to the glitch’s face Nightmare found himself stunned. Error was staring back at him with a flushed, almost startled expression. Something he hadn’t seen on Error’s face for a great many years. Was there something on his face? What? He could get pleasure out of this too!

Nightmare knew he must have made a face because Error’s expression twisted into a familiar smirk. All at once Error was leaning in while resuming the motions of his clenched fist causing Nightmare’s face to burst with heat. A gasp escaped as a strange pressure pulled in the prince’s core. He wanted to reach up and pull the glitch down into a kiss, show Error who was in control, but that ran the risk of causing a crash and Nightmare was far too close to finally cumming at the Destroyer’s hand to want to stop. He could bend a little, materials that were flexible tended to last longer and overcome any obstacle.

“Error..."

“hey boss!”

There was a loud slam of the door being kicked open that startled Nightmare and Error both into pushing back from each other. Error pulled strings from his left socket and bound the invading skeleton’s soul while stringing it’s host into the air.

“Horror...” Nightmare said in a dangerous tone.

Slimy form bubbling stiffly with anger Nightmare dismissed his magic and followed his Destroyer. Ruined. He had been so close. Error had been enjoying himself, been finally relaxing into things. Nightmare had been very much enjoying himself too! Horror had just ruined that! Besides that, he’d seen too much.

“What have I said about knocking,” Nightmare hissed to the interloper.

Fear. Beautiful fear without even a shred of hope. Yet even without hope Horror continued to instinctively fight for survival. Nightmare watched his pet try to fight the blue threads, but showed no emotion as he looked on. Error, on the other hand, was furious. Nightmare could taste the barely restrained urge to dust the monster caught in his web. The control Error showed then was better than any hand job. Even at the Destroyer’s most feral he was holding back. Hopefully for Nightmare’s order. But first...

Ahhh~ There it was. Regret was ripe on the back of Nightmare’s tongue. Horror knew. He knew he’d messed up. Too bad.

Horror gasped, “A-always. Knoc-ck”

“And what did you fail to do?” Nightmare asked, voice icy calm.

“....k..”

That wasn’t even a word, but perhaps that was all he could muster. He had clearly let Horror grow soft.

“I can’t hear you,” Nightmare drawled mockingly.

Sliding his hands into the pockets of his hoodie Nightmare casually stabbed through Horror’s lower left ribs with the sharpened tip of a tentacle. Bone snapped easily, the shattered pieces raining down only to turn to dust before they even hit the floor.

“ahh! knock! boss, won’t... i-i didn’t see anything. i swear,” Horror choked out desperately.

Nightmare regarded him coldly. Then he slowly smiled.

“No, you didn’t.”

In a flash Nightmare felt another emotion spike next to him and he didn’t care enough to stop Horror from becoming the newest pincushion of Error’s bone attacks. One had even pierced the now screaming skeleton’s bad eye and Error was puppeteering it around so that the glowing red bone wiggled and scraped along the inside of the socket. For a moment, it looked like Horror was crying. But it was simply dust raining out from inside the other’s socket.

“don’t, don’t! i’ve done everything you’ve asked, boss, nightmare.”

Stepping forward with a chuckle Nightmare felt his smile melt together with dripping strings of negativity.

“You’re no longer useful to me, maybe after a reset you won’t be so easily softened by a farm boy and his apple pies.“

That got a delicious spike of fear and Nightmare’s grin grew.

“You thought I had forgotten about your little farmer Sans, did you?”

Now tears really did fall from Horror’s sockets, the bright red streaks almost as delightful as the deep anxious fear pouring from. Nightmare leaned in close, winding the tentacle thickly through Horror’s ribs and cracking them as they were forced slowly further and further apart. Still, despite all that fear and pain and despair, Horror was trying to struggle, shaking his head desperately.

“d-don’t!” Horror pleaded, “i wo-aaHHHAAA!”

—————————-

“You all talk too much.”

Error closed a fist tightening his strings not only around the skeleton, but around Horror’s soul as well causing it to fracture. Raising his arm Error’s strings sliced through the skeleton’s already brittle body. Dust rained down onto Nightmare’s formerly clean floor but Error knew Night would just bring up a servant to clean up the mess.

“ _Now_ can I dust that stupid farmville AU?” he asked pointedly.

Horror was the only reason that pathetically peaceful abomination of an AU survived. And only then because Nightmare was letting Horror keep it. So long as he remained useful. But dust wasn’t remotely useful except for filling dolls.

Nightmare grunted, “Fine. Hit HorrorTale afterwords, don’t wipe it, but force a reset. I‘ll pick up Horror once your done. I don’t want a repeat of my Bad Sans going soft.”

“I don’t know why you need them,” Error snorted.

“Because you refuse to swear loyalty to me,” Nightmare shot back.

“I swear plenty at you fucker,” Error said with a grin.

“Shabari fetish.”

“Tentacles.”

Error watched as Nightmare slammed the door shut before wrapping a tentacle around the Destroyer’s waist and pulling him closer. Nightmare was smiling. Nightmare did have a nice smile from time to time.

“Stay for dinner,” Nightmare demanded.

“Will there be chocolate?”

“Only if your table manors have improved. Your eating habits are atrocious. If I do not see improvement then only if you stay the night.”

Error chuckled, “Heheh, I’ll think about it then. I’ll see you soon Tentacles.”

Opening a portal to the farm AU, Error dropped out from Nightmare’s grasp with a wide crazed grin. Finally, he could dust that abomination of an AU! Maybe he could bring back something for dinner... Nightmare was in for a world of a surprise then. Blue had taught him all the things to know about table manners at the last friendship club meeting. Who knew that some of Blue’s friendship advice would actually be beneficial with Nightmare?

———————

Nightmare watched Error take off through his jittering portal with rapidly rising irritation. Error had left just like that! Nightmare may have dismissed his magic but that didn’t mean he was done! Especially not after the exhilarating rush of taking apart that less than satisfactory lackey. Nightmare would have very much liked to have continued things but no. Error was completely distracted by the crazed glee of getting to take apart an AU he’d been told had to stay. Which left Nightmare seething with irritation and frustration. Enough for his form to be hissing and dripping even more than usual.

Fine! If he couldn’t finally get some relief he could at least have the satisfaction of dusting the rest of this round of Bad Sanses. Then he didn’t have to deal with them snipping at each other about having been replaced or being replaceable. This lot didn’t have enough fear left for the threat of replacement to be much good. Better to start fresh.

That brought a jagged, stringy smile to his face that curled too far out, nearly splitting his skull and showing a plethora of sharp fangs. He stopped limiting his aura, letting it spread like a miasma throughout the castle. Anger, frustration, regret, envy, and more filled the stone halls. Nightmare could feel the servants and guards quaking from it, their fears and anxieties heady to his senses. And from different points of the castle mad laughter rang out and dustlust spiked. Time to see if he could capture, torture and kill the rest of his lackeys before he lost too many servants. Replacing them could be such a pain.


	2. FarmTale's Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Error receiving the green light from Nightmare, how will FarmerTale fare?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was not originally a chapter of its own. Oops.

Dropping into the sunny farm themed AU, Error slid along his line of strings until he spotted what looked to be the AU’s apple orchard. Perfect. He could hit that first before moving on to destroying this world. Bringing some fresh fruit for dessert should get a good look out of Nightmare! Error grinned.

Pausing his decent, he pulled more strings from his sockets and cast them out to bind various apples from the trees. The apples came away easily and Error cast them through a brand new portal into his AntiVoid. That should be enough right? They could hang out with his collections of dolls and souls until he got back. Even if Nightmare said his body didn’t require him to eat solid food it didn’t mean Error couldn’t sensually munch away at a few apples in front of him. Nightmare might even ask to try one.

Satisfied with his plan, Error pushed off down the line of string until he found the skeleton family’s house. Barn? It looked like a barn. Smelled like one too. Everything in this AU smelled like hay, dirt, and shit. Sure you also had the scent of flowers and freshly baked pie, but it was still an AU pie and he could find those everywhere. 

First things first, he had to find that stupid world jumping Papyrus. It needed to be tossed back into HorrorTale before he forced a restart there or find another monster to dust the thing for him. He already had the HorrorTale human’s soul tucked away in his collection so it was easy enough to toss it back and force a reset. But if any monster was alive and missing the entire world could crash which sometimes left them an infuriating lump of nonfunctional code that could not be deleted by any means. Dead, the monster’s code reverted back to its world on reset. Why couldn’t these stupid abominations stay put in there own shitty worlds until he dusted them? Having to hunt down rogue world jumping monsters before they got snatched up by that bastard CoreFrisk was a major pain. 

Summoning a Blaster, Error used it to blast a hole in the roof below and dropped into the quaint home. As the dust and still falling rubble settled Error glanced about the space. The larger bed was clearly new. The cream cotton comforter was speckled with flower patterns and edged with lace. There were matching pillows to go with it. Two pillows... Clearly Horror was far more involved with the farmer Sans than he’d let on. The proof was in the photos hung on the walls and on the floating shelves. One in particular stood out.

Settled on the side table next to the bed was a photo of Horror and Farmer cuddled close together hand in hand. The pair appeared to be out on a picnic with the entire AU extended family. The contrast between the gaunt HorrorTale skeleton monsters and the soft FarmTale residents was blatant but the smiles all matched. Nightmare was going to love the negative emotions that ripping this AU apart was going to cause. He had to work fast so the prince wouldn’t change his mind about destroying it. 

A panicked voice suddenly called out, “papyrus! bro! are you guys alright? i heard an explosion!” 

Error looked up from his inspection of the room, a smile slowly spreading across his skull. That foolish farmer Sans had just confirmed Error’s suspicions that both Papyri were in the house. Error could hear the two Papyri calling back reassurances from somewhere nearby. Error thought about stepping out of the room but the sound of heavy footsteps pounding up the stairs made him pause. Why chase them if they were going to come to him? Error stepped to the side and waited. He was not kept waiting long. Error barely had time to position himself when the farmer Papyrus, Abomination 641, came bursting in, looking around wildly until his eye lights fixed on Error. 

“WHO ARE YOU STRANGER?” he asked in evident concern, “DID YOU FALL?”

“No,” Error answered, “but I did come to crash the party.”

Abomination 641 frowned.

“WE ARE NOT HAVING A PARTY THOUGH.”

The Farmer Papyrus tried to take another step into the room only to be stopped by the very skeleton Error was hunting for. Crooks. Sugar? Abomination 426 grabbed 641’s arm and begun trying to pull the confused farmer out into the hall. 

“SUGAR? WHAT’S WRONG?” 641 asked.

Horror Papyrus threw Error a fearful look and pulled harder.

“GO! HE IS TROUBLE!”

The farmer threw an alarmed look to Error who grinned even wider and reached up for a fresh handful of strings. That seemed to be all the encouragement the Papyrus needed. He turned tail and fled down the hall. Error took chase after them with a mad laugh.

“You can’t run!”

He couldn’t wait to make the farmer Sans destroy his little family. 

\--------———

“Dream! Look over here! I think I see mer-skeletons!” 

Not waiting to see if Dream heard him over the sound of the surf Ink took off after the flash of sparkling scales and bone near the arm of the large protected bay. He had seen one! A MerSkeleton! The question remained though: was this going to be a Fell, a Swap, or a Classic inspired AU? Or perhaps a blended colony. Or was it a swarm? No, a school... Pod! Pod would work.

“Ink! Don’t frighten them!” Dream called after Ink.

He sounded worried but Ink was already hopping across the surface of the barnacle crusted rocks towards the spot he’d seen the flash. He wanted to see what this mer looked like! Maybe it would be a totally new skeleton. But blended AUs were becoming very popular.

There was another flash of scales and Ink could just make out a shape diving under an outcropping of rock close to the water line several Broomy lengths away.

“Hey! Come on!” Ink called after it.

Just as he lifted a foot to take off his sneakers and dive after the creature he felt it. That sense of wrongness in his bones. Error was tearing apart an AU again! 

“Ink!” Dream was suddenly on the rock just behind him, “Can you feel it?”

“Yeah, it’s Error.”

Error had the worst timing! Pouting, Ink looked out to the spot once more only to see a mer-skeleton peek its skull out of the water. It was a Fell Sans mer! Complete with extremely sharp teeth that he was now baring at Ink. Maybe it was for the best that he hadn’t dove into the water after the mer... 

“Ink, come one.”

Ink started to turn to go with Dream when he saw a second skeleton skull peek out shyly through the surface just behind the Fell Sans. It was a Swap Sans! The poor thing was hiding behind the larger, growling Fell Sans mer. Were they friends? Pod mates? A couple? Had something happened to the Swap Sans? Ink was so curious, but the sense of wrongness increased and Dream called again from the beach. He’d have to come back.

Raising an arm to wave, Ink cupped his mouth with his other hand to hopefully be heard from a distance away. 

“We have to go! Bye! Hope we can meet again some time!”

Then he raced after Dream to dive through a portal to see where Error was causing trouble now.

—————

Error was having a _blast,_ laughing as he tightened his hold on the farmer Sans’ soul and manipulated its magic to control three Blasters he’d made it summon. The world around them was filled with destruction. Buildings burning, bodies of livestock, trees half blown away and all of it glitching as it broke into code dust that only Error could see. Pleased, he had the Sans use the Blasters to surround and trap the two Papyri. The farm Papyrus looked devastated. The world jumper looked defiant. Mildly impressive given the situation.

Smiling darkly, Error opened a portal to HorrorTale just behind the two Papyri.

“Both of you don’t have to die. I only _technically_ need the world jumper to go back home where he belongs. The world will reset and you’d see your brother again. Refuse…” Error had Farmer Sans throw a line of mixed color bones between the Papyri to divide the two lanky skeletons, “…and you can die together, spattered by the farmer here. Your choice.”

The overall clad skeleton narrowed his sockets and stood up straighter, “SUGS, GO!”

The HorrorTale Papyrus shook his head.

“NO! I PROMISED MY BROTHER I WOULD PROTECT YOU BOTH!”

Error’s raised his brows and made a mocking sympathetic expression.

“I’m sure his dust is touched you keep your promises.” 

The world jumper flushed bright coral with anger and shouted, “SHUT UP! YOU ARE LYING!”

Error’s mocking expression dropped into sadistic smile.

“Am I?”

His target tried to lunch forward. Error had the Blasters start to prime their attacks, the sound a high pitched whine.

“d-don’t...” 

Surprised by the strained voice, Error glanced over at his play thing. It seemed to be trying to force the Blasters to aim away from the Papyri. Guess the farmer was stronger willed than Error had given him credit for. Error shrugged to himself. No matter.

“Oh, well,” he said cheerfully, “Time’s up.” 

The portal closed with a decisive _snap_ as two Blasters fired from either side. Error frowned, annoyed. He’d meant to fire all three. That slip meant the Papyri managed, somehow, to dodge part of the attack. Both hand been hurt, but neither dusted. The farmer made another strangled sound, tears starting to trickle from its sockets.

“…s…to…p…”

Error had no plans to do that. Tsking at his puppet, Error held out the bound soul and wrapped it in a few more strings. The Sans stiffened, tears flowing faster now, as Error forced it to summon a spread of bone constructs and send them flying towards the HorrorTale Papyrus. But before they could plunge through that Papyrus’s chest, the farmer Papyrus leapt in to take the cluster of attacks for the taller Papyri. His sockets were wide with shock as marrow bloomed on his chest, seeping into his plaid shirt as the last chunk of HP came away. Error scowled.

“NO!”

“pap!”

His puppet’s quiet sob of his brother’s name held all the same intensity of emotion as the horror Papyrus’s anguished scream as the now dusting farmer Papyrus fell to its knees. It tried to put on a smile for them both as it fell back, dust already trickling away from its body. Error rolled his eye lights at the tired and familiar drama of the scene. Nightmare would be having a field day watching this right now. There were probably so many negative emotions spiking right now. Ah well, his loss.

“Now,” Error said, turning his crying puppet towards his wayward target with one last attack prepared, “Just one last…”

“ERROR!”

The shout was accompanied by a black swipe of ink slicing through the strings connecting Error to the Sans he’d been puppeteering. The soul promptly vanished back into its owner. Error cursed. He hadn’t dusted his intended target yet! But before he could summon the farmer’s soul again, it turned on him and attacked. Error sidestepped the pathetic attack easily but had to jump back when another wave of dripping black bones bore down on him from overhead putting him further away from his target. Irritated, Error growled as Ink and Dream dropped to the ground between him and his target. Dream already had an arrow knocked, planting himself firmly in front of the other skeletons. Error ignored him almost completely to snarl at Ink.

“This world is too far gone Squid! I’ve already won!”

“What win?” Ink shot back, “We only just got here!”

Ink raised Broomy and Error summoned a Blaster, putting it between him and the incoming attack. A paint stroke sliced off a horn but Error spotted Ink’s trick as the Guardian rush around behind the hissing Blaster. Error pivoted it and fired, his attention completely drawn away from the rest of the AU as he worked to get rid of the annoying Guardian. 

———————-

Dream slowly eased tension from his bow as Ink drew away Error’s attention and half turned to silently watch the three skeletons behind him. The Sans of this world had come running as soon as Ink had freed its soul and now both he and the HorrorTale Papyrus, Sugar, were huddled together over this world’s Papyrus. Dream could feel the deep anguish from both Farmer and Sugar. Farmer especially was hurting with guilt and doubt and near soul crippling sorrow consuming him.

“p-paps, I…I couldn’t…”

Farmer choked on the words, tears running bright down his cheeks, as his brother reached up to take a shaky hold of his shoulder.

“It’s Alright, Brother. I Know…You Didn’t Want To. Sugar…”

Sugar was already shaking his head, knowing in his soul what was happening yet wanting to deny it all the same.

“Harvest, No. You Can’t Go, Please…” Sugar pleaded, bringing the dusting Papyrus’s other hand up to his own tear streaked skull.

The smile Harvest gave Sugar was even softer than the one he’d offered Sans.

“I Love You, Sugarcube. ‘m Sorry...I Didn’t Say So… Sooner…”

The words trailed off as Harvest faded away to dust. All but the red kerchief that had been tied around his neck.

Sugar wailed, “HARVEST!”

His hands clung to the kerchief as Farmer bowed his head with a muffled sob. Dream turned away, giving the two a moment of privacy in their grief, feeling his own soul ache from emotions not entirely outside himself. But he didn’t allow himself to be caught up in the feelings. They had enough trouble with Error here. They didn’t need anything else to draw Nightmare’s attention. Almost as soon as he thought that, Dream felt Sugar’s sorrow flare up with rage.

“THE DESTROYER MUST PAY!”

Dream’s gaze snapped around to find Sugar rising, shrunken sockets still leaking tears but one starting to smoke with magic. Dream took a sharp breath, about to speak, when Farmer reached up and cupped Sugar’s face.

“no. shugs, ya can’t. not against someone like that.”

“BUT…”

“shugs, please! i can’t…” Farmer’s voice cracked before he continued in the barest whisper, “i can’t lose you too.”

All the rage drained from Sugar, leaving the deep sorrow and a cold lump of fury that told Dream he needed to get these two away while he had the chance. Farmer’s words would only hold Sugar back for so long. A part of Dream did wonder where Horror was. If he knew this was happening or if… Dream shook that thought away and stepped closer.

“I am sorry to interrupt.”

Both skeletons turned to his with varying levels of wariness. Dream, thought he disliked doing it, let his aura expand a little more, brushing them both with soft sympathetic positivity. They both started to relax, expressions softening.

“And I am very sorry for your loss,” Dream continued, “but we need to get you two out of here. Ink and I will take care of the Destroyer.”

“INK AND… YOU ARE DREAM?” Sugar asked.

Dream nodded. Farmer shot Sugar a questioning look and Sugar gave him a nod.

“ok, but first, shugs, help me with him.”

Farmer’s voice was still cracked with pain. As Dream watched, he and Sugar hastily gathered what they could of Harvest’s dust into his kerchief. The tears continued to flow but neither let it distract them as they securely wrapped up the fallen skeleton’s dust. Dream watched over them until a sudden prick of warning shot up his spine.

“Dream! Watch out!”

Dream whipped back around to see Ink still battling Error and a Blaster pointing straight at Dream.

“GO!” Dream ordered, raising his bow and loosing arrow after arrow into the Blaster’s sockets and maw.

Farmer and Sugar scrambled up and started running. Dream backed after them, still firing away until the Blaster glitched and exploded into pixels when it tried to fire at the spot they’d been. Dream shot a glance towards Ink and saw him leaping high towards Error with Broomy in hand. Knowing that was his opening, Dream spun and raced after the others.

————————-

The moment Ink took to the air Error summoned a fresh bone construct and leapt up to meet Ink’s attack midair. 

“I don’t know why you bothered to show up,” he growled. 

“Maybe I just wanted to see you,” Ink countered with a wink. 

“W-what?”

Stunned, Error slackened his attack, but it must have been a trick because Ink used a smaller brush to swipe at him. Error was forced to shortcut out of the way. Ink landed and pivoted towards him but did not immediately press the attack.

“We don’t have to fight, Error. Let’s talk, hang out,” Ink offered, not for the first or even the hundredth time.

“SHUtUp! You’re a lying asshole Ink!” Error yelled back, summoning a Blaster right in front of the Guardian.

Ink, however, vanished only to reappear directly in front of the Destroyer. Error jolted back, needing distance, but Ink matched him at each step. Error could feel the touch of Ink’s breath and it made his bones shiver in fear. Ink grinned.

“You’re cute.”

Error flushed and snapped, “D-DoNt TOucH mE!!”

Summoning more bone constructs, Error flung them at Ink but kept his strings around his glowing red attacks so he could reuse them. He needed to conserve magic when Ink was involved. These fights could go for days at a time if the bastard was serious. And today he seemed serious. 

Ink danced away, taking one hit across the femur. Error pulled the bones back and threw them again, keeping Ink dodging. It was then that he noticed his actual intended target was gone.

“Wait, shit!”

Error scanned the area and spotted it running with Dream and his former puppet towards the apple orchard. They would not escape! Error changed direction, charging towards the fleeing skeletons and flinging his bone attacks into their path to cut off their escape. The group skid to a halt and Dream aimed his readied bow at Error.

“Ink!” Dream called, losing the arrow.

Error dodged it easily, already pulling out more strings, then saw a flash of stupid out of the corner of his socket.

“Error, come on! Stop! Let’s be friends-oof!”

Catching Ink up in his strings Error tossed the annoying Guardian through a random portal. That should keep him out of the way for a few minutes at least. Longer if Error had some luck. Though now it wasn’t just Dream taking aim at him. The other skeletons, the farmer Sans and horror Papyrus, had summoned Blasters and bone constructs of their own and were taking up positions to either side of the stupid Sunshine Guardian. It didn’t matter. Dream was no match for him and the abominations didn’t even count as back up.

Blaster fire, arrows and bones all flew at him and Error used strings pulled from the very code of the world around him to pull himself up out of the way with both hands.

“Is that all you got?!” he shouted with a mocking grin to the group.

There was a barely noticed flicker of movement dropping towards him from above. Fuck, already?! Error had tied the bastard up! There was no time to dodge away. Error took the full force of Broomy to the back of the neck. A flash of pain blinded Error as a wash of cold tingled through his bones. He…He couldn’t move! He could feel himself flying through the air but for a few terrifying soulbeats he was utterly blind. Then he blinked and the world started to come back, though it streaked past in a fuzz of glitches and blurred shapes. Ahead, a growing patch of darkness resolved into a huge mud puddle with scattered dead pigs and straw.

Error’s fingers twitched as he tried to move enough to summon stings, a Blaster, anything that could slow his fall. The ground was coming up fast but Error’s body still ached and tingled. All the Destroyer could managed was to lift an arm high enough to protect his skull and brace for impact just before smacking into the ground with the wet squelch of mud. Pain washed through him again as the sticky mud caught him, but the blow was easier to deal with then the last one. His ribs were far too familiar with impacts against various types of terrain.

The mud pulled at him, sucking at his clothes and fingers in a not unfamiliar way as he blindly shoved himself up. It was caked in his mouth and sockets, tasting nasty and stinging the magic of his eye lights. Error spat and blinked and shook the mud from his skull as he struggled to move. Just as he managed to free himself enough to roll onto his side, Ink was on him, landing with a squelch standing over Error’s prone form. Error cursed, kicking against the mud and rolling to his back to throw a fistful of mud at Ink’s head. It splattered against the Guardian’s chest and did nothing to save Error from what he knew was coming. Ink dropped to his knees as his hand found its way to Error’s neck.

Error screamed. Jagged, painful glitches enveloped him, dragging Error into a crash. He clawed frantically at the iron grip on his vertebrae as his vision errored out and his body writhed. Finally, nothingness. The crash overtook him, dropping Error into black. A momentary reprieve. He came back online to the harsh pain of jagged glitches still slowly ripping his body apart only to shoving it back together. He realized his body had been arched and tense with the pain when it lessened momentarily and Error dropped back to the mud. His form flickered and pixilated, vision nearly entirely errored out, but Ink was still…

Error screamed hoarsely, “S-stooop-AAAHHHH!”

Another wave of pain tore through Error as he desperately tried to pry Ink’s hand off. It hurt! It hurt so much and Error couldn’t get the fucking Guardian to-

Error crashed again. It took him with a dial tone and a screech before nothingness returned. When he came back, it was only to crash again. Everything started to blur. Error couldn’t be sure how many times he’d crashed. He couldn’t even tell if he was still screaming anymore. Blackness was a constant threat at the edges of his blurry vision when numbness started to spread. His body flickered less, exhausted by the constant crashes. Yet he could still make out the strange expression the soulless bastard of a Guardian had on his face. If Ink was going to kill him, why didn’t he just do it already?

It was always like this, the constant fighting, but… Being pinned like this. Was it payback for dropping Ink into that iced over lake of some random AU after winning their last fight? Error cursed himself for not just killing the Guardian outright. It wasn’t as though Ink could truly suffer pain anyways.

As the numbness crept further through him, Error forced his expression into a blank look of his own. He didn’t care at this point if that was something Ink was looking for. He just wanting the pain to stop. His vertebrae still burned under Ink’s grip, the only part of him that wasn’t going slowly numb. Error’s limbs felt heavy, his fingers barely able to hold onto Ink’s wrist. But, to Error’s mounting anger and fear, Ink didn’t budge.

_‘What are you waiting for?’_ he thought furiously.

It was his last clear thought. The numbness crept up his skull, his sockets blanked, and Error plunged into a reboot cycle.

———————

Ink watched curiously with simple red eye lights as Error fell into his latest crash; waiting to see if Error would come out of this one or not. Ink was curious if there was a limit to the crashes. If it was the same number each time or if it differed. Usually he would have relented after the first crash but he was irritated about the AU. FarmTale had no reset ability built into the story and Error had dusted a major character. Even if they repaired the AU, the story would never be the same. And that was only if the creator continued this timeline. Far more likely they would delete this one and start a new timeline with all the characters intact. If they didn’t simply abandon it all together. So Ink took his irritation out on Error. He was kind of hoping that enough crashes would keep Error from doing this again for some time without actually killing him. After all, he couldn’t deny that Error kept things interesting in the multiverse.

Error’s form flickered again with tiny pixilations and Ink cautiously loosened the grip of his hand. Error didn’t react at all. Humming thoughtfully, Ink sat back, completely releasing Error’s neck and letting his hand trail down to the glitch’s sternum. Error so rarely touched him, even in a fight. Could he find a way for it to happen more without Error crashing? He would have to note that down to circle back to later when there was time to think on it.

Ink looked over his shoulder as Dream landed on a nearby section of intact fencing. Dream had a deep frown on his face that almost had Ink sighing. He didn’t have to sense emotions to have a guess what was about to come out of Dream’s mouth. Ink looked around. Farmer and Sugar were nowhere in sight.

“The others?” Ink asked.

“On the other side of the orchard waiting for our all clear,” Dream answered.

For a moment, Ink thought he might have side tracked Dream but no such luck.

“Ink, should we not secure him somewhere? He is a danger and an ally of my brother.”

Ink sighed and looked back to Error. All the glitches and pixilations on his body had frozen in place like this was a single animation frame of Error. It wasn’t as though Ink hadn’t considered it before, but… It wasn’t necessarily bad when Error erased the sad remnant AUs whose stories had burned them up. The husks of worlds, the withered and abandoned worlds. The ones even Ink had forgotten the story of and no longer visited. It was only when Error went after the healthy worlds that Ink had issue with.

“Locking him up wouldn’t be friendly though,” he told Dream, “He’s interesting and I still want to see if he’ll be my friend.”

“But…”

“He’s out of code, Dream. Like me.”

Ink glanced at Dream and saw his expression harden for a moment. Then it seemed to drain out of him. Dream sat on the rail and placed his chin in a cupped hand, looking at Ink and then Error with a speculative air. Ink went back to studying Error. Still frozen. And when Ink finally pulled his hand away, a reload command line popped briefly into existence over Error’s chest before his booting load bar flickered into place. Two hours to error resolution. Error wasn’t going anywhere for a while.

Shaking the mud from his hand, Ink stood, a grin spreading across his face.

“You should have seen his face earlier when I called him cute!” Ink laughed, hand going to stroke his yellow vial, “His flush, hah! Priceless.”

“Ink,” Dream sighed.

Ink snickered, “Pfff, what?”

Dream made an aborted gesture before pressing his hand to his sockets.

“Remember that little voice we talked about?”

“What little voice?”

Dream made another of those hilarious frustrated gestures before shooting Ink a glare. Ink laughed again. He did know what Dream was talking about. That was one of the very things they’d been discussing while exploring that new mer AU. Dream had been trying to explain the concept of a conscience to Ink. Some kind of little voice that acted as a moral compass in people. Dream seemed rather insistent that just because Ink was soulless didn’t mean he couldn’t have one of these. With practice.

“You know what I mean, Ink. Please, I want you, for a moment, to humor me and pretend you do indeed have one. What would it be saying about Error, the Destroyer of Worlds?”

Dream paused with a significant look at Ink. Ink’s eye lights flickered as he thought over the answer. He was pretty sure he knew what Dream wanted to hear, but thinking back to how it felt to catch and pin Error down had a lustrous smile curling across his face. How else might Error look pinned down? What sort of faces would he make? What kind of sounds? Ink had a pretty decent idea what he looked like under those clothes, he’d slashed them apart in enough battles to see all kinds of flashes of bone, but for the rest… A lustful purring growl escaped him, fingers going to rest on his pink vial.

“Ink!” Dream exclaimed.

Dream huffed, rolling his eye lights in exasperation and turning away. Ink laughed. Dream’s pouting face was just as priceless as Error’s flushed shocked one. But Dream just didn’t understand how fascinating Error was to Ink. Someone out of code, just like him. A being with no true home. Ink had searched the multiverse and no one else he’d come across was quite like him. Error was so very like Ink, but also his exact opposite. Ink wasn’t sure it was fair to lock him away just for that.

Ink was so very curious about Error. He needed to know more about this strange glitching skeleton. Where had he come from? Why was he set on destroying AUs? Why was he always sneaking into OuterTale? What kept OuterTale safe? What was Error’s favorite food? Ink had so many questions. Maybe…

Another time. For now, Ink used Broomy to paint Error an exit, dumping him into a swamp in one of those dead AUs he hadn’t pulled apart yet. That way, if Error had the magic to throw a tantrum when he woke up, he could do some good and put a finished story to rest.

Swinging Broomy back into place, Ink sauntered over to the rail Dream was still sitting on, arms crossed over his chest. Ink reached out to lightly stroke his arm.

“Not getting jealous are you, Dreamy?” Ink teased, “Because I’d be happy to mud wrestle with you too.”

Dream gave him a look, one brow ridge raised and mouth a flat line. Ink grinned playfully back, eye lights a pink flower and yellow sun. Finally, Dream chuckled and shook his head.

“Work first, then we’ll see if I plow your field, tomcat,” Dream said in a surprisingly sensual tone.

Ink flushed lightly, impressed with just how good Dream was getting with flirting, but his grin never wavered. Dream hopped off the rail and headed back towards the apple orchards, trailing fingers casually under Ink’s jaw as he went. Ink hummed, tapping the pink vial again, watching Dream go. Hmmm, apples. Now Ink fancied a taste.

Just before he took off after Dream, Ink’s gaze flicked back to where Error had been. There had been…something. For just a moment. A little flicker that Ink couldn’t quite put his finger on. Then, the thought was gone. Ink turned and raced after Dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For now it seems FarmTale survives. Badly damaged, but intact. Error's not gonna be happy when he wakes up.


	3. Frustration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of the fight, Error returns to Nightmare's castle to get cleaned up.

Returning to Nightmare’s castle completely covered with mud and straw Error made sure to open his portal directly into Nightmare’s expansive bathroom. He needed a hot shower and a soak after today’s fight with Ink. Every bone and magical nerve in his body throbbed with a constant lingering pain. The bastard was getting more relentless with his offers of ‘friendship’. He was _trying_ to clear the multiverse of that stupid farm AU, but Ink clearly had wanted more than just to stop him. Getting in too close, touching him, causing him to crash repeatedly… Ink was obviously holding back too. Rather than blasting him when he fell into that muddy pig pen Ink had just held him down by the throat and waited for his repetitive crashes to end. After a time Ink must have let go but... It hurt and multiple crashes took a lot out of him. He didn’t even have the energy left to tear apart the dead AU he’d woken up in. Ink must have dumped him there instead of just killing him. Pathetic bastard had Error completely at his mercy and he doesn’t just _do_ it! Not that it would have mattered since he would just respawn in the antivoid. Probably. Regretfully… Why couldn’t some things just stay dead? Why couldn’t he…

Error shoved the thought down as he stormed into the open shower. He turned the water on good and hot. It sluiced over him and Error spread his arms, letting that shower get the worst of the mud out of his clothes. Just how many changes of clothes did that stupid squid think he had anyways? It wasn’t like every Sans he dusted wore his preferred style of clothes! And those still had to be reprogrammed if he wanted his preferred colors.

Scowling, Error decided the worst of the muck had been rinsed from his poor clothes. He set about the tedious process of peeling the wet fabric from his aching bones. His hoodie and shorts were easy enough but his poor remaining lonely slipper was beyond saving. He’d have to find himself a new pair to steal. Growling, Error kicked the sad footwear off into a corner of the elegant shower as he worked his sweater off his ribs and scapulae. He hated having to replace his footwear! Stupid Ink, stupid Dream, stupid…

“I hope the fight was worth fouling up my drains with your slop.”

Error tensed, holding his wet sweater to his chest in an attempt at coverage as he turned to glare at Nightmare. The prince had an amused and almost smug look on his stupid, handsome face. Nightmare could most likely already feel Error’s opinion on his fight. And given the way that annoying smug smile kept spreading he could also feel Error’s opinion on Nightmare walking in on _his_ shower.

“You missed dinner,” Nightmare calmly informed him.

Error sneered, “Then feed me dessert.”

Nightmare’s brow rose a fraction.

“Hmmm, no.”

“Ass.”

Leaning around the glass wall of the shower, Error threw his sopping wet sweater at Nightmare’s face. Which of course Nightmare caught with a tentacle thus spoiling all of Error’s fun. Jerk. Flipping the prince off for good measure Error turned back to his shower, relishing in the soothing sensation of the hot waters washing over him.

\-----------------

Nightmare couldn’t help smirking as he tossed aside Error’s clothing and eyed the Destroyer standing wet and naked in _his_ shower. He had been right in choosing to have some glass walls the last time he’d renovated this room. Not that he had envisioned this particular advantage at the time, but he had no qualms enjoying the lucky fruits of his own planning when they were presented so nicely. Nightmare’s tentacles twitched and curled. Getting to watch Error like this… It just made him want to have Error even more. He gazed enviously and jealously at the water that glided so easily along Error’s black and red bones. Almost as if each drop were mocking Nightmare with how easily they rolled over his Destroyer’s ribs. How casually they slid down along Error’s curiously tinted pelvis before cascading off in smug little falls and rivers. Just reminding him of all the parts of he had yet to touch on the Destroyer.

Frustration started to mount again the longer Nightmare watched in silence. He had been waiting so very long, trying to be accommodating, and they’d finally almost managed something before they were interrupted. Now Error was taunting him like this. Nightmare’s tentacles started to writhe.

“You have your own shower. Your own chamber too I might add.”

A chamber Nightmare had designed especially for Error to tempt him into spending more of his time in the castle. It was also conveniently just down the hall from Nightmare’s own rooms. Far better than any of the rooms he appointed his lackeys too. A well-appointed bedroom with a large bed the Destroyer never slept in connected to a comfortable living quarters with small table and two chairs both of which connected to a bathing chamber to rival Nightmare’s own.

“Yours is better,” Error shot back.

That was always Error’s answer thought Nightmare knew his bathroom was no better than Error’s save that it was slightly bigger. It was the spike of annoyance with a slight flavoring of pride from Error that had Nightmare suspicious of what the real answer was. That Error _liked_ the way Nightmare would watch him shower. Liked feeling the gaze of the King on his bones. And here Error said Nightmare was the one who always wanted attention. There was the possibility the answer was simply that Error only liked Nightmare for his stuff, but he chose to dismiss that slim chance.

Error’s radiating emotions shifted, giving off a rapidly deepening sense of self-loathing. Nightmare realized too late that he’d began drawing in Error’s negativity. Error’s was especially exquisite and an excellent boost to Nightmare’s power. Nightmare was occasionally tempted to accentuate that negativity rather than simply draw on it, but his own sense of self-preservation keep that in check. Pushing Error further into his negativity would only bring detrimental harm to the multiverse and Nightmare would rather live to rule than die at his potential lover’s hand.

Reluctantly, Nightmare stopped pulling in Error’s negativity and the self-loathing lessened a degree. Just what had happened in that AU? Nightmare could sense that the world still existed in the multiverse, thought it was now rife with deliciously potent negativity. So even though Error’s bruised and battered state very clearly said the Protector of the Multiverse had shown up to fight Error had managed to do _something_. Even if it was not quite what Nightmare had wanted. The mission could always be finished later if truly necessary, though he liked the current state of FarmerTale. More important to Nightmare was the resetting of HorrorTale so he could try again with that particular Bad Sans.

Walking up to the gap in the glass walls of the shower, Nightmare tried to draw Error into conversation again.

“You should soak after you finally manage to clean yourself.”

As he said it he couldn’t stop his gaze from following a sudden rush of water along the inside curve of Error’s left iliac wing. Not that it mattered much as Error completely ignored Nightmare if favor of pouring his best soap onto a luffa Nightmare kept in his shower just for Error’s use. Seriously? Nightmare had to hold himself back from reaching out with his tentacles. How easy would it be to pluck that luffa from Error’s hands and scrub the bones he was eyeing covetously? Would that be a sufficient barrier? Or would Error crash on him again at the mere thought of a touch?

Grinding his teeth together hard enough to hurt, Nightmare forced himself to turn away. Starting at Error under the spray of the shower was doing nothing to help him. Instead, he prowled to the tub and settled on the edge with a frustrated scowl on his face. Perhaps it was time for a different tactic.

Nightmare turned on the water, waiting for it to start steaming before plugging the drain. While the tub filled Nightmare began running his claws over the tops of his various jars of oils, just barely brushing the precious stone toppers. Which to use, which to use. Apple blossom, cedar wood, and lemongrass was a good if intense combination. Or he could do a blend with eucalyptus. All this time and he still wasn’t quite sure of Error’s preferred scents.

In the end, Nightmare simply added his own preferred combination before leaving the large tub to finish filling. He glanced back to Error in time to watch him scrub along his ribs with an air of intense focus. Error’s emotions were swirling again, new ones coming forward to dominate as others quieted again. Most prominent was an odd mixture of offense, anger, and intrigue. Something had Error angry but curious. Perhaps he also wanted to continue where they had left of earlier. Nightmare would quite gladly join him in the shower. See how good Error looked writhing against the damp stone or glass walls of the shower as opposed to the cold library walls.

Then Error paused his scrubbing and sniffed curiously at the air before looking over a shoulder at Nightmare with a raised brow ridge. Nightmare’s frown returned. He did not appreciate the little burst of surprise from the Destroyer. It all but told him that Error had expected him to leave his own bathing chamber! Him! The King of this very castle! Nightmare’s socket narrowed and his tentacles lashed at the air around him. He stood abruptly.

“I’ll be in the next room. Don’t let the tub overflow,” he growled.

Then he began to stalk slowly out of the room.

\--------------------

Error studied Nightmare as the prince stalked away. He had paused his scrubbing with the luffa held just over where his glitching soul would be if it revealed itself when the familiar scent began to fill the room. He knew the scent of course. It was exactly how Nightmare smelled whenever he was fresh out of the bath. He hadn’t really thought about or expected Nightmare to still be in the bathroom and he realized Nightmare must have figured that out when he turned to meet the prince’s annoyed stare with an amused one of his own. So Nightmare wanted to leave his scent on Error, huh? That thought almost had Error asking Nightmare to come back and join him. But Error knew he would crash for sure at the slightest hint of contact right now so probably best to not. Though… That didn’t keep his from wanting to tease Nightmare.

“Ok, Mom,” he called out.

That got a rise out of Nightmare! He stopped, stiff, as sharp points erupted along his suddenly ridged tentacles. Then they smoothed down again and Nightmare turned to glare at Error. Nightmare’s eye light glowed bright with challenge. The intensity of it sent a little pulse through Error’s soul. That intensity didn’t let up either. Not as Nightmare turned, nor as he stalked back to the shower. Error took an unconscious step back and then another as Nightmare entered the shower. He could see the prince’s tentacles coiling out of the corner of his socket but kept his sight fixed on Nightmare’s expression. Especially as Nightmare’s gaze started to slowly trail down Error’s body. He felt his bones fuzz more. Almost as if the intensity in Nightmare’s gaze made it like a sort of touch. Though when Nightmare’s slowly roving gaze paused one his cracked and bruised ribs Error sighed.

“Does it annoy you more that I have them or that he caused them?”

One of Nightmare’s tentacles flicked in a manner that Error had long ago decided was a thinking gesture.

“Not sure…”

Nightmare took another step closer, standing under the spray of water Error had abandoned as he backed away. His expression had turned curious. He lifted a hand as if to touch and Error flinched back further, his ribs flaring with pain as his spine pressed to the stone wall. That seemed to deter Nightmare because his expression fell into something neutral and he pulled his hand back. He studied Error for a moment more before sighing and stepping out of the shower leaving Error frozen against the stone unsure what to do. 

He tried to move. His body didn’t want to listen to him and Error almost worried he was going to freeze. But he could still see. Could see that Nightmare had turned his back to him. Error forced himself to take a step forward.

“Ni-ighTmare, wAit…”

Nightmare paused. Then he turned his skull enough to speak over his right shoulder.

“I have to change out of these wet clothes. Clean up, soak, and then come join me.”

Nightmare’s tone wasn’t angry, just firm. His tentacles were calm and his posture relaxed. That was enough to satisfy Error. He nodded, though Nightmare couldn’t see it, and moved back under the shower spray to scrub the remaining mud from his back and pelvis. Nightmare left and Error was once again alone with his thoughts in the bathroom. And Error did his best to hide from his thoughts by concentrating on cleaning himself. Though the more Error fought to get the mud from between his joints, the more he cursed Ink for smacking him into that disgusting mud puddle. And…holding him there.

Error paused, reaching up with one hand to lightly touch the still tingling, almost numb bones of his neck. For a moment he had been able to touch Ink. There had been a flash where the pain had numbed out and Error was almost sure he remembered scrabbling at Ink’s hands to try and pry them from his neck. If Ink continued this habit of holding him down at the end of fights… Error shuttered. The idea was horrifying. So much touch, so much pain. He was probably lucky that the repeated crashes hadn’t corrupted his memory. He’d had it happen with one so that many was likely pushing his questionable luck. He would need to be more careful in future fights to avoid Ink grabbing him. Better to run then let it happen again.

That decided Error turned slowly to let the shower rinse the last of the girt and soap from his bones. Then he tossed the luffa into the corner with the sad remnants of his slipper and turned off the shower, making his way over to the oversized and ridiculously luxurious tub. The only thing saving it was that it was quite simple. A little surprisingly really given Nightmare’s general home decorating tastes. No matter how many times he ‘tested’ it Error still hadn’t found something to dislike about it. The water was only just rising to be a hand span below the lip and steam curled off the water bringing with it the strange fragrant scent that reminded him so strongly of Nightmare. 

Placing both hands on the rim Error cautiously stepped in. The water was gloriously hot and Error could feel himself wanting to hum in appreciation as his bruised bones sank in. At least until he tried to lay back and the water covered his ribs. He let out a low hiss. Void fucking damnit! The hot water that felt glorious everywhere else stung the cracks in his slowly healing bones. So damned annoying.

Error honestly didn’t mind the bruises or the cracks themselves. They hurt sure but the dull throbbing was far less painful than having someone actually touch him. He would rather be struck and get to enjoy the low throbbing as a reminder of contact than have to endure the horrifying burn that came from physical contact. In some ways that almost made it easier to deal with Ink over… The bastard’s blows hurt more than his glitches, temporarily overwhelming the constant background pain, and the bruises left behind stayed for days.

Error groaned, almost a growl, and sunk completely beneath the water. With sockets closed and false breath stilled it was almost completely silent here. The heat relaxed him. The dull aches and pains were just enough to distract from the low murmuring voices in his head. He wasn’t in his antivoid so the louder voices were gone. For a moment he could just _be_.

\-------------------------

Nightmare turned the page on his current bedside book. He’d changed out of his wet things and decided to curl up comfortably in bed while he waited for Error to drag himself out of the bath. That had been some time ago. Now he was almost wondering if Error had somehow found a way to drown. He had not heard a sound from the bathroom and Error’s emotions had gone fairly calm. Rather unusually so for the Destroy of Worlds to be truthful. Unless Error had left but usually Nightmare could tell the relative proximity of an emotional source to himself. Error at any significant distance became hard to find despite his strong negativity. That Nightmare still had a fairly good sense of him meant he was likely still in the bath.

A sudden wave of embarrassed rage from coming from the bathroom had a smile twitching at the corner of Nightmare’s mouth. The muffled but impressive swearing that followed had Nightmare quirking his brow ridge as he turned another page. It seemed Error had finally noticed that Nightmare had swiped the Destroyer’s filthy clothes on his way out earlier. It wasn’t as though Error could just put them back on. Even rinsed the things were still disgusting. Error should be grateful Nightmare already had someone working on getting them clean. Instead, Error was likely beautifully flushed in that frantic way he got over nudity outside the shower.

More swearing and the sound of skeleton feet clicking against tiles. Nightmare marked his place in his book with a simple black ribbon. Then he glanced up. Right on cue, Error peeked out around the bathroom doorframe. From what little of Error’s body Nightmare could see he’d wrapped his flickering form in a large towel.

“Why do you insist on modesty outside of the bathroom even now?” Nightmare asked, “I _have_ seen you naked.”

Error jerked and glitched at the sound of his voice which made him look momentarily like a cat. Nightmare had to chuckle as Error turned that flushed glare on him, snapping his book closed for dramatic effect.

“If you join me it wouldn’t matter that you’re naked.”

Nightmare lifted the comforter beside him invitingly, keeping his gaze focused on Error. They had gotten so close earlier. Before the interruption and other distractions. They could try it again. If Error was willing to accept the offer. Would he though? Nightmare could see Error’s socket’s widening with yet more surprise as he took in the sight of Nightmare’s bare ribs. As if Error hadn’t thought Nightmare might be naked in his own bed. Nightmare snorted. He was quite comfortable like this and he disliked dirtying his sleeping shorts. He’d meant what he’d said much earlier too. They would have to touch each other eventually to get any sort of physical pleasure out of this.

“What the Fu-UcK did YoU do-o-o wiTh My cloTHEs?”

The sharp question had Nightmare’s form bubbling with irritation.

“I sent them to be cleaned!” he snapped.

“sO GiVE me sOmE PajaMAs!”

Nightmare slammed his book down in frustration and glared at Error. Seriously?! After all that happened earlier? Here he was sitting in bed completely nude and Error asks for… Nightmare’s tentacles writhed. Why couldn’t this idiot just take the fucking _hint?_

“I’m propositioning you for sex!” Nightmare snapped.

Error’s expression shifted again, his blue flush blossoming into that vibrant yellow glow Nightmare found so fetching.

“Oh,” Error squeaked.

There was an odd look on Error’s face that Nightmare couldn’t read but he decided it wasn’t important as Error stepped tentatively out from behind the door. Though he tightened the towel around his body as he did so.

_‘Come on Destroyer. Drop the towel.’_

The thought flashed through Nightmare’s mind as he glared at the piece of fabric covering what he had been so recently been able to drink in at his leisure. He wanted to feel the pulsing of Error’s magic beneath his fingers. Wanted to make Error gasp as he pressed inside. Or hell as he rode the bastard. Nightmare really wasn’t picky at this point! He just wanted.

Nightmare’s eye light shrank to a bright, predatory slit as Error slip carefully between the layers of sheets and blankets. The hunger in Nightmare’s gaze was undeniable. Perhaps that was why Error pulled the blankets up under his chin and refused to remove the meddlesome towel despite being under the covers. This would not do at all.

Shifting onto one hip so he could face Error, Nightmare reached out with his tentacles. Error flinched, glitches sparking erratically, but he didn’t voice any protests as the tentacles drew closer. One tentacle delicately gripped the blanked and pulled it down, exposing Error’s hands desperately clutching the towel with arms crossed over his chest. Error was flushed so beautifully. It extended nearly down to his collar bones. His gaze kept flickering from the blanket to Nightmare’s other tentacles and then to Nightmare himself before he looked away again. Fear lightly flecked through the curiosity and mild excitement Nightmare could feel pulsing from Error.

“Error,” Nightmare said, voice low with desire as he reached out to take Error’s hand with his own.

Error tried to pull away just as Nightmare barely brushed his fingers against Error’s hand.

“WaiT, D-don- _nnnnnnnnnnchhhhhhrrrreeeEEEEEEee-_ ”

Error crashed with a dial tone so loud it caused Nightmare’s damaged socket to ache. Nightmare jerked back with a wince, bringing his hand up to gingerly cup at his goop covered socket.

“Damnit!” he seethed.

He had hardly touched Error that time! He was at his wits end with this! He wanted this, had wanted this for so long. Void, they both wanted it, he knew it, but Error still could not stand more than a few simple touches!

“Fine!” Nightmare snapped at Error’s badly distorting form. “Sleep then!”

He turned away and climbed angrily out of bed. He stormed to his wardrobe and began pulling on new clothes.

“where Are YoU gOinG?!” Error demanded, voice glitching almost past understandable.

Nightmare pulled on his jacket and shot Error a look over his shoulder. At least he seemed to have recovered quickly from his crash, but in a moment of exposed weakness Error looked like he could barely hold up his own weight. His arms were trembling against the bed and his sockets still fuzzed with error messages. Nightmare knew he wasn’t supposed to see this. He turned away, even as the stubborn towel began to slip. Error never liked to show weakness in front of anyone. Something Nightmare could very much understand.

“To finish the one thing I had asked of you since you apparently could not manage it!” Nightmare shot back, slamming the wardrobe closed.

It banged loudly, echoing across the chamber. Nightmare knew he needed to do _something_ with his renewed and burning frustration or he might do something he, for once, might actually regret. Even without looking he could already picture how Error would look. Just like he could imagine how Error might feel. How he might sound if… Nightmare snarled, forcing the thought away.

Error started to protest, “Night-!”

Nightmare hissed and snapped around to glare at Error. There was so much negativity rolling from them both that Nightmare was struggling with his form, tentacles dripping and splitting into more.

“Do you have **any** idea how tempting you are right now?” he snapped, mouth pulled back enough to expose his first two sets of fangs. “If I didn’t like you so much, if I didn’t want this to work…”

Nightmare bit off the words, too frustrated to articulate them. He turned away and stalked though a portal in a dark flash leaving Error trembling on his bed.

“Ni-Nightmare!”

Error had tried to reach out for the prince but it was too late. He was left propped up on one arm shaking on the plush oversized bed. Error clenched his hands into fists and slammed the one that had been reaching for Nightmare down onto the bed.

“I’M TRYING, DAMN IT!” he bellowed, his voice cracking.

Error flopped onto his side and curled up in the middle of the dark prince’s bed. He pulled the pillow Nightmare had been leaning against to his chest and stared at the spot where Nightmare had disappeared through a portal. After a moment he flipped off the air. Just in case Nightmare could feel it. Error wasn’t leaving, so there.

Yanking the covers back up over his body Error got comfortable and then let his sockets close. The pillow was still warm and Error had no interest in returning to his antivoid right now. Ink had been stranger than usual during their fight today. There was no guarantee that the bastard wouldn’t just show up while he was sleeping again. No, it was much safer to stay at Nightmare’s castle for the time being. At least until he’d healed from this last fight.

His ribs ached uncomfortably as Error tried to force himself to sleep. He just couldn’t get that flushed look of Nightmare’s out of his skull. It warmed his bones just thinking about it. Now Nightmare was gone and Error hated himself for it. Why wouldn’t his body listen to him? He just… There was something missing. He didn’t understand what it was though so why couldn’t that something be Nightmare?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter is titled thus because Error is frustrated about getting his ass handed to him and Nightmare wants that ass handed to him.


	4. Satisfaction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nightmare arrives to finish the job Error started.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! Been a minute here huh? The wife's been teasing me cause she wrote the base story and asked me to go over it for tweaks and somehow my little bits of fleshing out have turned one, four sentence paragraph into most of this chapter. Oops. ^^;

As soon as he stepped into FarmerTale, Nightmare had to pull his aura in tight. Of course those stupid so called ‘Guardians’ were still here! He could feel Dream’s futile attempts to mitigate the new wonderful clinging negativity spreading through the AU. At least Error had managed to do that much with his rampage. This AU had been a little annoying to step into in the past. Now Nightmare could feel comfortable here, the negativity feeding into his own power. It was so, so hard to not bolster it. His tentacles writhed with the restrained desire to breathe strength into the pervasive feelings of rage and disperse. The feelings were bitter and acrid, not unlike the scents coming off the burned fields and scorched buildings.

For a moment, Nightmare sunk into the shadows to find what he wanted, reveling in the spreading negativity and letting it distract from the source of frustration burning in him. In the comfort of the shadows, his form warped and corruption dripped in an uncontrolled expression of that frustration. By the time he pinpointed the likely location of the being he wanted and drew his consciousness back he was able to bring his body back into normal form as if nothing had happened. He drew his tentacles in with little struggle. Time to finish the mission.

Stepping through the shadows, Nightmare brought himself near enough to the collection of emotions that included those of Horror’s brother. It also, to Nightmare’s scowling irritation, included Ink and Nightmare’s own brother. Dream stood out particularly, not just because of his absurdly bright outfit, but because his positive aura shone painfully amongst the gloomy tendrils clinging to the residents of this world. It would be a pain to separate his target from that group! He wasn’t in the mood to deal with the Guardians right now. Fighting for him was part of what he was collecting his Bad Sans for. There were several other reasons but that was one. Nightmare knew he could easily take Dream and Ink in a fight, but generally considered the effort beneath him. He’d rather have the enjoyment of watching.

Thinking about it now, it was perhaps unfortunate that he had disposed of the rest of this version of his Bad Sans. Having them causing havoc in another AU would be a very easy and convenient way to distract Ink at the very least. Nightmare could always portal away to do just that but for the moment he simply stayed in the shadows weighing his options. More and more monsters kept arriving. Probably coming to investigate the destruction. Nightmare could tell each time the details were shared. A fresh wave of sorrow would spill from the latest arrival to darken the world despite Dream. Had Error managed to kill someone important after all?

Nightmare scanned the crowd and the emotions again and realized the Papyrus belonging to this world was nowhere to be seen. And people kept shifting around the Sans. Leaning in close or hugging him as if offering condolences. They were doing the same to the Horror Papyrus as well. Well, that was something. Nightmare was miffed he’d missed that. The spike in negativity would have been _wonderful_ to feel from so close.

Nightmare shifted to another shadow to get a different view of the group. Normally he could wait patiently for things to develop to a form convenient to his plans. Today was not normal however and Nightmare itched to take out his frustration on something. The Horror Papyrus he already planned to deal with, but there was someone else he could dust now. Someone else he’d foolishly allowed to lighten the soul of his now dead lackey. Nightmare’s gaze narrow in on Farmer Sans. Yes, that one would do.

\----------------------

Farmer smiled at another of the neighbors from the Rabbit Farm. Or he tried to. Sugar was managing better than he was. His soul just wasn’t in it to try very hard. He was holding… He was holding his little brother’s dust all wrapped up in his favorite handkerchief. His hands clenched around the impossibly small bundle clutched to his chest. This was all that remained of the cool skeleton. Harvest had so many plans he would never get to see through now. He had been planning…

Farmer blinked away a few fresh tears as he glanced at Sugar’s smiling, tear streaked face. Harvest had just told Farmer that he was going to execute a very over the top, but extremely romantic date plan with Sugar wherein he planned to proclaim his love to the gaunt skeleton during a moonlit picnic. Instead, Harvest had only just had time to say it after protecting Sugar from his own brother. Fresh guilt stabbed though Farmer. Harvest may have forgiven him but Farmer still hadn’t forgiven himself. He’d tried so hard to break away from that strange skeleton’s hold but in the end he’d managed nothing. If these Guardians hadn’t arrived and freed him… He shuttered, not wanting to think about it. Unfortunately, his mind wouldn’t stop tormenting him.

“Sugar, sweetie, what about your brother? Is he alright? I don’t see him about,” Ms. Toriel asked in a kind and worried tone.

Sugar sniffled, “He Was At Work And I Haven’t Heard From Him.”

Farmer’s soul squeezed painfully despite being impressed by Sugar’s ability to answer and not say more than that. Farmer had choked on the same sort of response just moments before. Neither he nor Sugar wanted to admit what they had heard. Neither of them wanted it to be true. Horror couldn’t be gone too. Farmer wasn’t sure he could handle losing both his brother and his dear one in the same day. But they wouldn’t know for sure until Horror was late coming home. He couldn’t always answer calls or texts at work. That hadn’t stopped Farmer from calling him, begging him to pick up or come home.

Cold dread gripped him and Farmer shivered. The idea that he had left that voice message on a phone sitting discarded somewhere practically pounced him. He could almost see it: the phone vibrating softly, the screen lighting up with his name as the only illumination in a dusty sealed trash can somewhere. Or ringing on Horror’s bedside table in the room he had in the castle, waiting for someone who might never pick it up again. The dread merged with a growing despair that he only just keep from his face.

He fought to keep himself together. Tried to let the warm aura of the Guardian Dream buoy him. It was so hard though. Any time he managed a happy thought or replayed a happy memory the darkness found a way to twist it. Even thinking of the last time Horror had kissed him, a tender kiss in the middle of Farmer slowly weekly weeding before Horror left for the castle, just lead him into to the sinking fear that it was the last kiss he would ever have from Horror. He trembled, a sob starting to form in his throat as fresh tears ran down his cheeks.

Beside him, Dream flinched. Farmer could hear him biting off a pained sound like someone had cut him. A glance showed that no fresh injuries had marred the bright skeleton and Dream simply smiled at him. Farmer thought his shoulders seemed tense but that could be from something else. At least he wasn’t offering false sympathy. The sincerity of his condolences for Harvest were hard enough. The other Guardian, Ink, was using some strange magic to restore great swathes of the farm, though he couldn’t bring the animals back. Farmer had to blink back fresh tears as he realized all of Horror’s favorite chickens had been killed. There had been so many times early on where Horror tried to eat them but at some point he’d turned a corner. He had favorites in to little flock who would come to him and Horror loved the feathered drama queens. Now they were all gone too. Herbs, Lollipop, Penne, Curry, Alfredo, Cacciatore, feisty Sriracha…

Farmer reached out blindly to catch Sugar’s arm. Sugar stopped mid-sentence to look at him along with several of those who had come to check in.

“h-hey, everyone. uhmm…”

He had to pause and scrub at his face to clear up some of the tears and get a better smile on his face.

“wanted to say thanks for y’all coming to check on us. really means a lot ta me…to us. but…but i…i n-need…”

He couldn’t say it. Every time he remembered what he was holding, his voice choked up. He blinked, more tears spilling down his face. His grip on Sugar’s arm tightened and the taller skeleton shook.

“If you need some time alone dears, we understand. Just know we’re here if you need,” Ms. Toriel said.

The dogs and rabbits chimed in with their own sentiments.

“Did you want any more help here today cleaning?” Dogamy asked, “Though that Ink fella seems to be doing a fine job.”

Farmer shook his head. Maybe in the morning he could look at everyone and the farm again. They’d already checked and reassured those few of the livestock that had survived. It had hurt to see the two milk cows and Harvest’s horse shy away from him. Greater Dog had calmed them for Farmer and got them settled once Ink repaired the barn. For now, Farmer just wanted a moment alone. A moment to grieve. To think about…about Harvest’s final ceremony.

“(Alright, hun. Take care, both of you,)” Dogaressa woofed.

“THANK YOU,” Sugar hiccupped.

They all offered one final round of hugs and condolences. Dogaressa and Ms. Toriel promised to check in on them in the morning. Then they made their farewells and left. Farmer and Sugar had no one but Dream and Ink remaining with them. Dream spoke up next.

“Would you like anything else from us? We can of course keep an eye out for Horror, but if there is anything else we can do here…”

Farmer shook his head slowly as Sugar placed a hand over his.

“lettin’ us know if ya see my sweet spooky pumpkin would be more than enough after all you and ink have done for us.”

“YES, IF HORROR IS OUT THERE, HAVING HIM BACK WOULD MEAN SO MUCH. I…” Sugar trailed off as he hastily brought a hand up to muffle a sob that interrupted him.

His bones rattled so hard that Farmer worried for a moment he might shake himself apart. Dream gave a soft look of understanding.

“Of course,” Dream said, calm and warm. “Ink and I will both look and bring what news we can.”

“thank you,” Farmer croaked.

Dream nodded and then called for Ink. The Protector restored the last of the field he was working on before joining Dream. Dream reassured them once more that any news they heard and could verify, they would bring as swiftly as possible. Then they were gone, taking that supporting gentle warmth with them. Sugar let out a sob, burying his face in his hand. Farmer felt the guilt and fear and wrenching despair crush down on his soul so painful that he thought it might crack. His eye lights extinguished momentarily, but Sugar’s quiet sobs forced Farmer back from the brink. Sugar was rarely so quiet.

Tightening his hold on Sugar’s arm, he managed a broken, “sug…”

A sob wracked Sugar as the tall skeleton looked up sharply, a desperate hope flashing before being extinguished. With barely another guiding touch, Sugar sank down to his knees, arms curling desperately around Farmer as the true tears finally broke free. Farmer hugged Sugar back just as tight, using the familiarity in comforting another to keep himself from breaking down. His own tears flowed pale green down his cheeks, his sobs short, sharp little breaths as they held each other, grieving their mutual loss as time seemed to vanish.

Eventually, reluctantly, Sugar pull away.

“We Should Find Somewhere Safe For His Dust Until We Can Give Him The Parting Ceremony He Deserves,” he said in a voice scratchy from crying.

Farmer drew in a breath and scrubbed at his sockets, “yeah, yer right. lets head back to the house. and here, why don’t you hold him while we look.”

Farmer held out the tight bundle of handkerchief and dust. For a moment, Sugar looked as though he might start crying again. But then he tentatively cupped his hands under Farmer’s and accepted the slight weight that was heavy with meaning. Sugar squeezed his sockets shut and cradled the bundle to his chest for a soulbeat. Then he let out a slow breath and stood. Farmer reached up to place a comforting hand of Sugar’s back and together they walked back to the house.

“Perhaps,” Sugar said thoughtfully, “We Could Use One Of The Jam Jars?”

That suggestion put a ghost of a smile on Farmer’s face. Harvest had been quite passionate about creating quality jams from the farm’s fruits. Though his apple butter was by far Farmer’s favorite.

“i think that’s a fine thought, sugar.”

Sugar managed a pale imitation of his normal crooked and beaming smile. His stride quickened and they made their way around to the kitchen door. Inside it was as bright and warm as ever with sunlight spilling in from the window over the sink. The rounded table still even held two mugs.

“Oh!” Sugar gasped, spotting them.

“sugs?”

Sugar blinked rapidly and turned away from the table, pressing the handkerchief bundle to his sternum.

“We…We Were Sharing Tea When…”

He trailed off with a rattling shutter but Farmer didn’t need any further explanation. The two Papri had been chatting over a mid-morning cup of tea when that Destroyer person had arrived. Now that happy moment was tainted and the scene remaining in the kitchen a ghost of what had been. Farmer felt his sockets ache with the threat of fresh tears. His little brother was gone. Brought down by Farmer’s own hand.

Harvest’s dying words echoed though his mind, _“It’s Alright, Brother. I Know…You Didn’t Want To.”_

_‘but it’s not alright. how can this ever be alright? paps…’_

Abruptly, Farmer turned away from the table and stumbled over to the sink, clutching the old farm sink’s edge as if it was the only thing holding him up. He felt like the world was shifting under him, falling away and leaving him adrift. He hadn’t been strong enough. He’d been the instrument of his brother’s end, robbed Harvest of the bright future ahead of him. Robbed Sugar of a happy life with Harvest. He should be hearing the sounds of the two Papyri enthusiastically discussing lunch not the forlorn sound of a single empty jar being slowly opened. Each quiet rasp of the lid’s turning felt like another painful twist of his soul. The faint pop of the seal top opening felt like a physical blow that left Farmer trembling, his grip on the sink tightening.

He took a slow breath. Then another and another after that, trying to ease the pressure constricting his ribs. There was a soft clink beside him, then a gentle hand on his back and Farmer blinked open eyes he hadn’t even realized he’d closed. Pale green tears speckled the sink. Blinking again, Farmer looked over his shoulder to find Sugar smiling softly at him, shrunken sockets soft with understanding. Farmer tried to find something to say but words seemed to have left him.

“I Think He Will Be Happy Here For Now,” Sugar said softly.

Farmer followed where he gestured to find one of the jam jars sparking on the windowsill in the sunlight, Harvest’s dust filled handkerchief sitting serenely inside. The ends were standing proudly and Farmer could so easily imagine it on Harvest as he stood proudly in the sun with hands on his hips. Farmer let out a shaky laugh at the idea and hastily covered his mouth even as a smile spread.

“y-yeah. he’ll…”

Movement out of the corner of a socket distracted Farmer. He snapped his gaze towards it, for a moment fearing the Destroyer had returned despite Dream and Ink’s reassurances. That wasn’t what the shadowed form limping along the road that went past the orchard looked like though. No, Farmer knew this form and his aching soul pulsed with hope.

“horror!”

Farmer was out the door almost before he realized he started to run. He could hear Sugar behind him shouting something but all Farmer’s attention was on the form he could see. It had perked up and was hurrying faster, turning into the orchard to take a common shortcut to the house. Farmer dove in on the other side, hat flying wildly behind him.

“horror!” he called again, desperate hope and longing and fear all mingling in that one word.

=-------------=

“FARMER, WAIT!”

Sugar couldn’t believe how fast Farmer was moving! Despite the magical exhaustion Sugar knew he was feeling from their previous flight into the orchard Farmer had managed a small teleport out of the house after shouting Horror’s name. Sugar hadn’t even seen what Farmer had at first. It wasn’t until he was out the door and racing after Farmer that he saw the shadowy figure just as it entered the trees from the other side. The uneven shape of the skull gave Sugar a burst of hope that surged through him at such an intensity it left his skull throbbing. But it was quickly tempered by a suspicious caution. He had heard too many stories of what his brother’s boss could do, what he would do to cause tension in other worlds.

“FARMER!” Sugar called again, “PLEASE WAIT FOR ME! IT MAY NOT BE WHO WE HOPE!”

No answer came and the sound of pounding feet didn’t diminish. Sugar pounded after, plunging into the green shade of the orchard. He couldn’t see Farmer ahead of him through the trees and tried switching rows. Still he could not see the Sans. How was he moving so fast? Sugar could hear shouts but they sounded like they were coming from all around him. It should be a quick, straight line through the orchard to the road. Sugar could even see the low fence on that side looking along his path. So where did they go?

Sugar slowed, looking to both sides with each crossing row for either Farmer or the other skeleton who Sugar hoped was his brother. Could they be closer to the road and he just was not seeing them perhaps? But he could still hear Farmer calling. That the other skeleton wasn’t answering was adding to Sugar’s fears that it was not, in fact, his brother.

“sugs,” Farmer called out suddenly, “do ya see him?”

“NO!” Sugar called back, “WE SHOULD SEARCH TOGETHER!”

Farmer called back an agreement and Sugar hurried in that direction, worry growing more and more the longer the last sure part of his family was out of sight. A sudden excited exclamation from Farmer had Sugar running full out. He bolted around an apple tree just in time to see a rend in space open in front of him. Before he could stop he’d barreled through into a horrifyingly familiar dead forest with dirty snow crunching under his boots. Gasping in horror, Sugar’s arms flailed as he frantically reversed direction.

The rend was gone.

“Welcome home,” a dry, amused voice drawled.

Sugar whirled back around to find the speaker. Just as he spotted a familiar shadow with a glowing cyan eye light pain erupted from his sternum.

“NYAHH!”

It was horrible! Cold and burning spreading in jarring lines of pain like fire burning along his marrow. Sugar could feel horrible cold curling around his soul and every dark thought he’d ever had came surging forward. Every memory he’d tried to repress or move past. Rage, depression, terror, and more. All so strong they froze him in place staring at the shadowed person stepped forward with a chuckle.

“Finally caught you,” Nightmare hummed.

Tears started to well in Sugar’s shrunken sockets. Horror was dead. Had to be dead. That had been Horror’s bargain for working with Nightmare. That Sugar had to live and Horror be allowed to visit. If this was happening then…

Nightmare’s smile grew, sharp and cruel. The tentacle buried in Sugar’s chest was wrenched out, his pale coral soul pulsing frantically as dark, swirling lines spread from the tentacle coiled around it. It hurt more than Sugar’s fractured bones. It almost hurt more than knowing his brother was gone like Harvest and had died alone far from everyone he loved.

“Look at it this way,” Nightmare said in a mockingly caring voice, tentacle slowly smothering Sugar’s soul, “you won’t even remember any of this.”

Sugar’s soul vanished beneath the goopy darkness. Sugar closed his sockets as the tears fell.

_‘Brother, Farmer, Harvest, I love you all.’_

Then, in one last blinding flash of pain, Sugar fell to dust in the snow.

=------------=

Nightmare grinned as the Papyrus finally dusted taking some of Nightmare’s frustrations with it. Though it had managed to tarnish that enjoyment for Nightmare by accepting its fate with one final burst of positivity before Nightmare crushed its soul. Ah, well. It was a Papyrus after all. A near offshoot of the original to boot. But dust was dust.

“Why Error couldn’t have managed that at least I don’t know,” Nightmare grumbled to himself.

The Protector and Nightmare’s brother showing up was hardly a sufficient excuse. Error had probably been playing around with the Sans and taking his fucking time torturing everyone. Not that Nightmare objected to the idea in general, it could be such a thrilling rush of power to be in the world while Error worked. But here he’d had a goal that Nightmare needed accomplished. Error could have eliminated the Papyrus Nightmare needed gone and THEN taken his time playing.

“Well, it’s done now. Just one to go.”

Grinning far too wide, Nightmare stepped forward and scooped up a handful of the dust left from the last monster of HorrorTale. Anticipation coiled along Nightmare’s soul. This would feel so good.

Slashing his tentacle through the air in front of him, Nightmare reopened the portal and stepped back into FarmTale. It took no time to pinpoint Farmer again. His hope was so completely muddled with his fear and guilt and sadness that it was like a pleasant spice on the tongue. After that it was far too easy to find a spot of deepening shadow between two trees for a new portal and shift himself back into Horror’s form. He always did appreciate that Horror’s good eye was the same as his own. At least for situation like this. Though the urge to scratch at the dead socket could be annoying.

“horror!”

Oh, good. Farmer was still calling.

“over here,” Nightmare croaked in a hoarse imitation of Horror’s voice.

He hobbled to the next tree up and leaned against it, trying to make his expression look like someone hurt but happy to be home and relieved to have escaped with their life. Farmer came racing around another tree panting for breath.

“you’re alive!” Farmer sobbed.

The Sans raced forward. Nightmare straightened and braced himself. Farmer flung his arms around him in a rather desperate hug, sobbing with relief and joy. Nightmare winced, sucking in a sharp breath. That focused positivity hurt! Luckily, that was also in character. Farmer drew back with a hurried apology.

“you’re hurt, sorry. let’s get you back and healed, hun.”

Nightmare forced a chuckle, wrapping the arm with his clenched fist around his ribs, “yeah. sugs?”

“here looking for you too, hun,” Farmer answered. He turned away to shout, “sugar! i found him! we’re heading towards the house!”

Then he turned back and shifting around to support Nightmare.

“come on, pumpkin. not much further,” Farmer said in a tone so caring it made Nightmare feel like he’d actually been winded.

Ugh. Pumpkin? What kind of name was that for Horror? Who used that as a pet name for someone? Not that Nightmare quite understood pet names like that as it was. Perhaps something to look into, not that he expected to understand it. Or particularly wanted to.

With a grunt, Nightmare threw his free arm over Farmer’s shoulders and leaned on him as they started towards the house. Farmer wasn’t really watching where he was going. Nightmare could feel all his concern for ‘Horror’ and used it to his advantage by looking down and gimping with care. Farmer guided him between the next two trees through a section of deep shadow.

And suddenly they were in the castle. In Nightmare’s very thrown room, facing his black thrown where it stood imposing over the room. Farmer stopped abruptly, looking up and then around.

“wait, where are we?” Farmer asked, “weren’t we just-”

Farmer’s slow, plodding question cut off abruptly as Nightmare’s form shifted back into his proper body. He straightened up as Farmer jerked away.

“who the void are you? where’s Horror?!” Farmer demanded.

Nightmare smiled. He could tell Farmer was struggling to keep calm while he tried to understand, but there was a growing panic that threatened to overwhelm him any moment. Had Horror told this soft, passive skeleton nothing about him? Would the loving fool have come running if Nightmare had simply stood in the shadows even without taking Horror’s form? Probably. And now he hadn’t even bothered to summon a weapon.

“answer me! where’s horror? he was just here. i gotta…i gotta find him.”

Farmer sounded and felt so anguished. Nightmare almost purred. That was more like what he wanted out of this pathetic skeleton.

“Horror is gone though. Has been for some time. Which is a pity. I’m sure he would have loved to see you one, final time.”

He drew out the last few words, relishing in the rapidly deepening well of horrified despair he could feel from Farmer. The skeleton’s head was starting to slowly shake, eye lights dimming to almost nothing.

“Would you like one last look at him?” Nightmare asked, holding his closed fist out to Farmer.

Farmer’s skull stopped, disbelieving eye lights tiny in their suddenly intense focus on Nightmare’s hand. Sneering, Nightmare opened his hand, the fine grey particles to run out from between his fingers to float down to his otherwise clean floor. The servants could clean it for him later. Maybe he’d have them dispose of the dust in this room in the same bin his other minions’ dust now occupied.

“n-no…he, no, but…”

Farmer drew his gaze away to look around wildly as a single, irrational spark of desperation rose up from the dark swirl inside.

“s-sugs?”

It was a ragged shout. The need for reassurance. The need to not be alone, not be here, facing this reality. Which was, of course, the other reason Nightmare had taken Sugar out first. Business and strategy all in one. Besides, that Papyrus was properly suspicious. He had to go.

“I’m sorry,” Nightmare said, voice dripping with false sympathy, “but no one by that name still exists. Can’t have any loose ends now can I?”

Farmer’s gaze snapped back to him, hardening suddenly.

“nightmare!”

Nightmare’s brow rose as his smile widened.

“Oh. So you do know who I am. That makes things far more fun.”

“horror told me about you,” Farmer shot back, raising a hand and calling up magic. “i’ll-”

Nightmare cut him off, tentacle whipping out to trap and envelope the hand.

“You’ll do what, exactly?” he asked.

“make you pay,” Farmer swore, raising his other hand.

The magic smoking from his eye brightened and he started to raise the other hand. At least until another tentacle stabbed into his socket. Farmer _screamed_ , raw and guttural. Nightmare’s eye light narrowed to a pleased, predatory slit as he grabbed the other hand with a third tentacle. He hadn’t pierced the socket, not yet. He pressed more in, tiny spikes erupting along the length of the tentacle tip to rasp the bone in a cruel imitation of what Error did to Horror. Farmer kept screaming, the anguish and terror bright and sharp as brilliant tears cascaded down his cheeks.

“How sweet. You both get to die in similar ways,” Nightmare said with a menacing laugh.

Farmer didn’t respond, just screamed again with the next harsh twist of the jagged file of a tentacle in his socket. Nightmare pursed his teeth and then tutted, shaking his head. Not only was this pacifist Horror’s weakness, he was also simply weak. All of Nightmare’s Bad Sanses stood up to injury and torture much better. Horror had still been able to talk at this point.

Nightmare studied Farmer as the skeleton thrashed, dust falling from his socket. Then he brushed Sugar’s remaining dust from his hand and stepped forward, letting his form distort and drip more as Farmer’s combined anguishes feed him a heady rush of power.

“Horror started my bad mood,” Nightmare hissed. “Let’s see if you can’t fix it. Try to last longer than he did, little farmer.”

After all, Nightmare needed something satisfying that would last the night.

**Author's Note:**

> Good help is so hard to find and keep. But for once, Error wasn't the cause of the cockblock.


End file.
